Archive for February 16, 2012

Snorkelling at Kosi Bay

snorkelling at kosibay world heritage site

I'm sure Steph is in here somewhere...

kosi bay heritage site snorkel

Boo!

Armed with our mask and snorkels (no flippers/fins needed at this reef!) We crossed the estuary feeling the alternating hot and cold currents swirling around us.

kosi bay world heritage site

Because every holiday needs one of these pictures!

The beauty of the snorkelling at Kosi Bay is that you swim across a channel and walk up on to the sand bank that runs parralel to the reef, walk along the sand bank, and lower yourself once more into the balmy waters of Kosi Bay Mouth.

But now is where the hard work comes… Ok, only joking – all you
need to do now is float with the current, cameras at the ready.

Snorkel south africa world heritage site

There were fish of all sizes and colours hiding on the reef

kosi bay isimangaliso heritage site

Swim with the fishes

kosi bay world heritage site

Oooooh! lion fish!

devil fire fish bum at kosi bay heritage site

Steph saw it swim by, but it was in its hole by the time I caught up

kosi bay world heritsge site

The honeycomb eel was playing peek-a-boo with Adrian

Effort free snorkelling gave us plenty of energy for posing under the water and playing with our cameras.

kosi bay UNESCO world heritage site

Steph poses for the camera

kosibay world heritage site

"taken the picture yet?"

kosi bay world heritage site

Cheesy grins are hard underwater!

Kosi Bay

A beach day at Kosi bay!

Stephanie was more than a little happy at this prospect, although in truth we all were. It is hot, and the mere thought of swimming was making us all eager to get to the beach.

Even Tommy was eager to get to the water!

Kosi bay, nature tour, african safari

Tommy was all set for his day at the beach

The visit to the fishtraps is first. this sustainable fishing method is as much a part of conserving the area as preserving the traditional Tsonga culture.

Elmon explained how the fish trap worked to us and gave us spear fishing lessons to show us how hard it is, then it was time to walk/splash out to the fishtraps to take a look for ourselves.

kosi bay, south african safari and nature tour

Elmon shows us how it's done

african safari

Run away!

african safari at kosi bay

Elmon leads us into the trap

kosi bay african safari nature tour

Adrian shows that leaf who is boss!

We were in luck, one of Elmons fishtraps had bream, grunter, mullet and even kingfish! So we got to test our wits against that of the fish and try our hand at spearing dinner.

traditional fishtraps at kosi bay mouth

Looking for fish at one of Elmons traps

kosi bay african safari nature tour

Fighting over who will be first to spear

Stephanie speared her fish on the first try… Sleep with one eye open Adrian…!

amangwane kosi bay spearfishing

Steph shows us all how it is done on the first throw of her spear

south african safari, nature tour

Adrian teaches the fish a lesson

We all emerged from the handmade cage triumphant. We would have a feast tonight!

But no time for smugly posing with our catches…

…oh, ok then just a little…

african safari

Mr and Mrs Crusoe won't be hungry tonight!

african safari, nature tour , kosi bay beach

Adrian plays the man card and pretends he caught them all

 

african safari, nature tour, kosi bay

What now? Snorkelling!

Stephanie and Adrian Arrive

So, after an extremely long flight from Toronto to Vancouver, to Johannesburg, to Durban and then a 3 hour drive to Umkhumbi Lodge, Stephanie and Adrian were finally with us (and I thought my 18 hour flights were bad)!

After a shower and a quick nap for Stephanie (she made the mistake of lying down – ‘for just a second’) it was dinner and then straight to bed!

Today the tour began with a short commute to Amangwane Kosi Bay, an interpretive walk with Tommy around the area of Kosi Bay including a stop at the viewpoint.

This little agama was waiting outside Steph and Adrians reed chalet at Kosi bay

Viewpoint over Kosi Estuary and Mouth

"Want to try the custard apple...?"

....nope, doesn't look that appetising!

Then back to camp to refuel our tired, hot bodies.

Nothing recharges the weary traveller like an African sunset

Except may be a glass of wine as you relax…

Glass of wine, but still no relaxing for Stephanie, not just yet anyway!

But there is no time for relaxing as Stephanie swaps camera tips with Meera, another guest we have staying with us as Adrian wanders around camp to find a different sunset view from the rest of us.

Finally! Time to relax over Tommys awesome cooking!

Did You Know – Flat Lizard

Lebombo Flat lizard Platysaurus Lebomboensis Description: Small to medium sized African Lizards, there name is derived from their 'flattened' shape. Habitat: Occur in South Africa (in the Northern KwaZulu Natal province), Swaziland and Transvaal. They are rock specialists and their flattened body shape means that they are able to enter even the smallest crevices. Behaviour: Flat lizards are diurnal and become active when the direct sun touches the burrow entrance. They bask in the sun next to their burrow entrances to regulate body temperature. When theyare not basking they are actively foraging (including jumping into the air to catch flies) or socialising with other lizards. Diet: Flat lizards mostly eat invertebraes such as; wasps, bees, flies, caterpillars, ants, beetles and butterflies. Male/female: Female and juvenile, dark with 3 pale longitudinal psrralel lines down their backs. Males are brightly coloured with orange tails and flanks and green/blue chins. Did You Know: Common flat lizards have even been known to eat figs! | There are 13 different species of lizard. | In some species of flat lizard the females are just as brightly coloured as the males.

Bye bye Kiboko!

As always we had lots of fun with our group of 11 Kiboko guests. There wasn’t a quiet moment!

Kiboko Hluhluwe Accommodation

Roars of laughter are frequent from the Kiboko table

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip everyone!

Vervet Monkey

The Vervet Monkeys are running wild today at Umkhumbi Lodge!!

There is always one shy little monkey

Playful as always they are running up and down the branches, munching on monkey apples and mangos and anything else they can find to sink their little teeth into.

*yoink* my fruit

Fruit please!!!?

But then one lazy monkey, stole a baby monkey!!! He wanted the fruit that the mother was eating, so he stole the baby and held it hostage until she gave the fruit to him. Nasty monkey!

Vervet monkey with baby

She checks that the kidnapper has gone....

Vervet monkey cuddles baby

... before she cuddles her baby and makes sure it is alright

Did You Know – Narina Trogon

Narina Trogon factsheet is this weeks factsheet, see belowlearn about Narina Trogon

Day 8 – uMkhuze

The bird hunting continues!

A fantastic days sightings at uMkhuze, even whilst loading the car with our cameras, telescope, binoculars, bird books and most importantly breakfast we could hear the birds whistling around us.

No sooner had we pulled out of Umkhumbi Lodge gate than we see 2 Burchells Coucals sitting on a fence post, how could it possibly be a bad day after that!?

The bird list for today is:
- plover
- sandpipers
- swift
- moorhen
- lilac breasted roller
- nesting black-bellied starling pair
- white-faced whistling ducks
- 3 purple gallinule heron
- 2 heron
- bulbul
- barn swallow
- violet-back starling
- barbet
- collared dove
- 3 crested frankolin
- 2 rudds apalis
- mousebird
- crowned hornbill
- cardinal woodpecker
- tawny flanked prinia
- nobbeaked duck female
- jacan (adult and juvenile)
- glossy ibis
- sacred ibis
- emerald spotted dove
- cape dove
- gold-tailed woodpecker
- open billed stork
- red-breasted cuckoo
- broad billed roller !!
- eagle with nesting material
- dusky flycatcher
- golden breasted bunting
- nob-billed ducks
- egyptian goose
- broad billed roller
- black-bellied korhaan
- bustard
- european bee-eater
- bluecheeked bee-eater
- european bee-eater
- blue-cheeked bee eater
- red-backed shrike (again the most common bird of the day!)
- 2 blue waxbill/ cordon bleu
- broad-billed roller
- chinspot batis
- weaver
- black-shouldered kite
- purple-crested turaco/ lourie
- red-breasted swallow
- lesser striped swallow
- pie-tailed swallow
- swallow
- white-tailed swallow
- bulbul
- mystery bird
- cisticola
- red-cheeked mousebird
- stint
- canary
- unidentified bird of prey
- eagle
- cattle egret
- spurwing
- 4 red bishop
- 2 burchells coucal
- 3 trumpeter hornbill
- 5 yellow-billed hornbill
- stuffed buzzard
- woodland kingfisher
- 2 pied kingfisher
- 2 malachite kingfisher
- kingfisher
- masked weaver
- golden weaver
- pells weaver
- crested guinea fowl
- helmeted /crowned guinea fowl

- foamnest frog
- hippo
- dragonfly
- natal hinged tortoise
- forest cobra

FC01 – Day 39

01/02/2012
18:12 – 33c

After a week of not seeing FC01 we were worried that we would not find it. But then by luck we picked up a signal, in the opposite direction to where we had been expecting it to be (yes I know, it is usually easier to find something if you look in the right place!).

FC01 is in a patch of bush in the middle of neighbouring pineapple fields 1,500m from where we last saw it! Check the map to see where it is now!